Ninja Poison
by Kusari-Gama 61602
Summary: A social gathering turns possibly deadly as one jealous man decides that he wants what Storm Shadow has - power, money, and a beautiful wife. Unfortunately for him, Junko does not take kindly to those who threaten her husband.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** ... Sorry. :P This bunny tried to eat me. However, I have the entire story written down. I repeat - this story is basically DONE. I have all the chapters written, and the last one is being edited, so expect only a few days between updates. Why don't I just post all of this at once? Because... where's the fun in that? Besides, it's a little long to be squeezed in one chapter. It has over 6,000 words.

Sorry for any Japanese social faux pas.

* * *

Junko carefully pushed the last jeweled pin in place in her hair and leaned back, staring at her reflection. Sighing, she smoothed back a stray strand of hair with one hand and reached for her lipstick with the other. The small case opened with a slight _click _and she dipped a small brush in the red substance and began applying it to her lips.

The door slid open, and she almost colored her cheek rose-red. "Tommy!" She glared at his reflection in the mirror. "Knock first!"

Thomas Arashikage tugged at the cuff of his white tuxedo. "And why should I? There's no part of you I haven't seen."

Her cheeks heated up. "I was in the middle of something. Knocking would have _alerted _me that you were about to come in. I almost painted my cheek, and you know how expensive this lipstick is."

He was at her side in three long steps. "Ah. _That _lipstick." He frowned slightly. "That one... is worth quite a bit."

"Exactly." She set the lipstick container down and gently pushed at his arm. "Go away. I'm busy."

He flashed a smile. "You look beautiful."

Junko rolled her eyes and pushed him further away. "Give me five minutes and I'll be done."

With his hands up, surrendering, Tommy backed up to their bed, turned, and flopped onto it, arms spread. "Don't women usually take thirty minutes with their makeup even if they say they'll be done in five?"

"Those hypothetical women aren't former geisha. If I say 'five minutes,' I actually mean it." Junko snapped the container shut and picked up her pearl earrings. "And - Tommy, don't do that! You'll wrinkle that nice outfit."

"Don't care. I have five other suits," was his muffled reply.

"Well, you don't have time to change." After a last-second check to make sure she looked fine, she grabbed her husband's hand and pulled hard. "Come on. You're not taking this seriously."

Reluctantly, Storm Shadow straightened up. "Hey, if the Nichira clan masters want an alliance so badly, they can just come over here and we'll discuss it. I see no point in hosting a grand party for all to see."

Junko began straightening his suit, grumbling. "This party is to give ninja clan masters an opportunity to size each other up and see which clans they want alliances with. These Nichira guys are simply hosting it." She fussed over his ruffled hair. "Now look at what you've done. How are you supposed to represent the powerful Arashikage clan if your hair is like _this?_"

Tommy pulled away, smoothing his hair with a hand. "I'm fine, _mom_. Everybody's heard of the Arashikage anyways. All the clan masters already know we're powerful."

"Then ACT LIKE IT!" she hissed, producing a comb and brushing his hair.

"Alright, alright," he sighed. "You sure you're not a reincarnation of my mom?"

She gave him a glare. "Do you even hear yourself?"

"Hey - it's totally possible."

Junko frowned deeply. "Focus, Tomisaburo. This gathering is important." She slipped the comb away and adjusted the Arashikage lapel pin on his suit. "Let's get going." She grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door.

* * *

Itami Nichira stood near the entrance, politely bowing his head to each and every guest. He had on a smile that did not reach his eyes, and his posture was stiff and uptight. _Damn these tuxedos_, he thought darkly. He would have settled for Japanese formal wear, but - in order to not offend the few clans that have embraced foreign culture - decided to suggest Western wear. Not wanting to appear stubborn and unwilling to accept change, most guests showed up in tuxedos and dresses.

Almost everybody was here. Almost. His eyes scanned the crowd, picking out clan symbol pins, but none of them matched the bars and lines he was looking for.

"Master Nichira."

He turned to the man who had just addressed him, and recognized him as from his own clan. "What is it, Tadao?"

Tadao bowed respectfully. "Master Arashikage and his wife have arrived."

_Wife? _Itami seized the man by the front of his suit. "Since when was he married?" he demanded.

"Uh... uh..." Tadao struggled. "I-I don't know, master!"

Jealousy pricked at the back of Itami's neck. How the _hell _did the man manage that? Long ago, Thomas had been deemed a traitor and had disappeared until a few years ago. There was no _way _a former exile and his _gaijin _sword brother could repair a broken clan in such a short time, but he'd done just that. Their business was booming, and demand for Arashikage contracts was already impacting the other clans' revenue. Everybody was a little ticked, but mostly curious and eager to know how Tomisaburo Arashikage had done it.

And now he had a _wife._ Itami was a few years younger than Thomas, and had spent more time in Japan. But somehow the older man had managed to get a wife before he did.

Fate sure played favorites.

Murmurs of, "Arashikage-san," and, "Phoenix Master," reached his ears, and the crowd surged backwards. Itami dropped the man, glared at him until he ran away, and turned around.

His breath caught in his throat.

The man in the white tuxedo was definitely Thomas, a fact confirmed by his clan pin and the all-knowing smirk on his face. But the woman at his arm...

Itami couldn't take his eyes off of her. She certainly was very lovely, lovelier than any of the women he had seen so far. Her black hair was swept back in an elegant hairstyle held in place by jewels and pins. Her face had the slightest touch of makeup on it, giving her skin a mesmerizing glow. When she finally looked at him, her dark eyes twinkled, and her red lips parted invitingly. The crowd around them disappeared for a moment, leaving only her, him, and the pounding in his chest.

Slowly, he made his way over to her, muttering half-hearted apologies to those he nudged aside. "Arashikage-san," he acknowledged, nodding once at Thomas, before turning to the young woman. "Who is this... beautiful lady?" He sounded slightly breathless.

Thomas opened his mouth to answer, but the woman beat him to it. "I'm Junko Arashikage." She smiled, and his breath hitched again. Her voice was soft and comfortingly cool, like silk.

"Ah." He smiled back, lost in her eyes.

"Itami?" Thomas' voice snapped him from his pleasant reverie.

Tearing his gaze away from Junko, Itami faced the Arashikage master. "Yes? Is there something you require?"

Thomas gave him a tight smile. "I... was not aware you were the master of your clan."

"I'm a Nichira, aren't I?" he answered lightly.

"And what of your brother, Minoru?"

Itami kept his face impassive, although his blood began to boil. "That should not concern you."

"Does he not look over the clan beside you?" Thomas pressed on, completely ignoring his response.

Subconsciously, Itami tried to stand a little taller. "That is none of your concern," he repeated, his words frosting at the edges.

Junko chose that time to speak. "Thomas, love, I believe I hear someone calling us. It's been a pleasure meeting you, Nichira-san." After a small bow, she gently tugged her husband away.

"Do you have any idea how _false _your statement was?" Storm whispered to her as they made their way to the refreshments.

"I know that the day will never come when I hear something you don't, but I couldn't think up a better excuse at the time." Junko helped herself to a small fruit tart as she continued whispering. "Bad blood between you two?"

"A... little. It goes back a bit," Tommy admitted as he watched her eat. "Our clans arranged a friendly competition, and I went against him in a sparring session."

"And he lost," she guessed.

"He lost," Tommy confirmed, his voice smug.

"I'm not surprised." Junko chuckled as she popped the last bite into her mouth. "And he's pissed about that?"

"Yeah. He jumped me after the competition."

She swallowed and frowned. "Wow. Jerk."

"Perhaps he felt that he had been shamed, even though the competition was friendly, and thought that defeating me would help him regain his honor." Tommy played with her necklace. "Snake heard us and tried stop him." He scowled. "Then Itami started yelling... racial insults at him."

"And you didn't take that too well, I presume?"

Storm Shadow tilted his head and gave her a small, goofy smile. "Of course not. The Arashikage invited his clan, and he _dared _to attack one member and insult another. My uncles sent him and his clan away, but the damage had been done."

Junko rolled her eyes. "Idiot. He could've caused a vendetta if he shed your blood outside of competition."

"That's why I favor his brother. Minoru had the humility and dignity to apologize for his brother." Tommy shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I do not think he has forgotten his shameful actions. Watch him closely today."

"I will do just that." Junko grinned.

* * *

Thanks to Greentigerr for her usual editing, Lady Jaye1 for her help on Japanese honorifics, and Wikipedia for just being Wikipedia.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **To answer SpawnOfCthulhu's question, yes, Itami will make an appearance in "Arashikage Home Videos."

This chapter is a bit long. Sorry.

* * *

Itami watched the two conversing too quietly for him to hear, and his vision briefly went red. _Focus, focus. _With considerable effort, he forced himself to turn his back to them and walk away, until he passed by a group of women chatting. Curious and eager to get as much information as possible, he melted into the crowd and discreetly listened in.

"Who is that?" one asked, staring at the couple as they began talking to another clan master.

"Thomas Arashikage," another answered. "You haven't heard of him? Everyone has!"

"Not him!" the first one hissed, then nodded towards Junko. "_Her_. Who is she and how the hell did she get him to even _look _at her?"

"Have you even _seen _her?" a third woman demanded. "She's probably a former model. That, or she's made of plastic. It must have been a good job, though."

"Neither," the second woman corrected. "She used to be a geisha."

A brief moment of silence, then, "So you're saying she _seduced _him?"

"Probably. A lot of men find geisha alluring."

"So she got him out of _luck_," one spat. "She just so happens to be born with a pretty face, and she gets the most powerful clan master! All good things happen to the _pretty _ones."

"You're just bitter because he rejected your marriage proposal all those years ago."

"I am _not! _I just cannot understand why a man as skilled as he is would marry a woman with nothing but dancing and bedroom skills..."

Itami noticed that nobody was paying any attention to the rambling woman; they were all looking at something else. He craned his neck to see. At first, all he could make out was a blur of motion, then the dancer turned and he saw _her._

Junko moved with a grace and precision that spoke volumes about how many hours she had spent practicing the dance. Her body flowed and glided as her fans twirled and fluttered hypnotizingly. People gathered around to watch, making sure to give her adequate room to perform the dance, and Itami heard the soft _smack _of a wife hitting her husband for staring. Thomas had the cockiest grin imaginable on his face, although his eyes carefully watched the audience. His posture and expression sent one clear message: Mine. Mine, not yours. You may look, but you may not touch. Try to touch, and you'll die.

Junko caught Itami's eye and smiled warmly at him; his heart leapt into his throat and stayed there as he watched her dance, her movements tantalizing and inviting. Without knowing it, he took a step towards her.

She broke eye contact, and he was suddenly aware of his actions. Scowling, he watched as she started moving towards her husband, her dance increasing in speed. Thomas' grin grew while Itami's frown deepened. Unexpectedly, a silver, sharp object flew from her and headed straight for Thomas' throat. The crowd didn't even have time to gasp before Tommy jerked his head to the side and caught the small blade between two fingers. "And that," he said, a slight purr in his voice as he regarded the stunned man next to him, "is one of the results of several years of training as my personal apprentice."

The man adjusted his suit as he cleared his throat nervously. "Yes... yes, I see. My apologies for questioning her... combat abilities."

A few people turned around to look at the woman who had, five minutes ago, been complaining that Thomas married a girl with 'nothing but dancing and bedroom skills.' She was staring open-mouthed at Junko, then blushed furiously and mumbled something about the former geisha being a good match for the Phoenix Master after all.

Itami fumed as he watched Thomas kiss Junko on the forehead.

* * *

"Tommy, love," Junko murmured when he kissed her again. "Everybody's watching - Itami included."

"Good," was his rumbled reply. "I don't like the way he was looking at you."

Gently, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed. "Of course he was looking at me - you asked me to _dance, _for crying out loud. You _really_ like to show off, don't you?"

He let go of her but held her hand. "Hey, every woman in the room who didn't know you was questioning your worth. I needed you to do a little... _demonstration _to show them."

Junko nodded thoughtfully. "So it wasn't just that one guy vocally criticizing me."

"There were a few more, yeah."

Inhaling deeply through her nose, Junko repeated a calming mantra over and over in her head. Tommy gave her hand a light, reassuring squeeze. "Hey, they now know I trained you personally - they won't badmouth you anymore."

Finally, the corners of Junko's mouth turned barely upwards. "Of course. An apprentice of the great Phoenix Master should not be trifled with."

"Arashikage-san?"

Thomas turned around and found himself face-to-face with the master of the Hidaka clan, who bowed in greeting. "I would like to propose an alliance between our two clans."

After nodding in agreement, Tommy turned to Junko. "I'll be back in a bit. Stay out of trouble and try not to bite any heads off."

"I'll try. No guarantees, though." Waving lightly, she watched him walk away, then slithered into the crowd. Numerous eyes settled on her scrutinizingly, but she ignored them and kept on walking.

The ninja at the front door tilted his head questioningly when she approached. "I just want to get some fresh air," Junko explained, purposely using her left hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. The warrior's eyes glanced at the ring on her finger and widened immediately; he recognized the small _ji-ji _symbol on it. With a nod, he stepped to the side and looked elsewhere in the room.

"Thank you." She stepped past the ninja and out the door. A blast of cool air hit her, and she exhaled in relief. That was one small luxury she never had during her time as a geisha - to go outside whenever she felt like it during a party.

She strode silently across the porch, enjoying the silence and peace. The sun slowly sank towards the horizon, throwing brilliant shades of red, orange, and purple across the sky. Leaning against the porch railing, Junko allowed her mind to wander into the past, back to the days when she became Tommy's apprentice. The memory of that one day was still fresh on her mind, despite the passage of time. Her lesson had taken place at sunset, and she distinctly remembered his hand on hers, gripping the bow, as the other enveloped her fingers and helped her pull back the bowstring.

"Focus, relax, breathe..." he had told her, when in reality, all she had been focused on was how close he was to her.

It had been the day she first kissed him.

Smiling fondly, she drummed her fingernails on the painted wood. If somebody had told her while she was still a geisha that, one day, she would marry one of most powerful ninjas in the world, she would've... well, she would've laughed politely and pretended to be shocked, since anything else would have been inappropriate behavior for a geisha, but if nobody was looking, she probably would've slapped the person before reporting them to a mental hospital. Yet here she was, married to Thomas Arashikage, and with a ring to prove it.

She sensed rather than heard the male presence behind her. A millisecond later, she decided that it wasn't Tommy. Straightening up, she kept her eyes fixed on the setting sun. "Master Nichira. You should be inside overseeing the gathering."

His answering chuckle set her on edge. "My brother has taken my place temporarily. I saw you coming out here, and decided to keep you company." He walked over to her and ran a finger along her jawline, making her turn towards him. "A beautiful young woman like you shouldn't be left alone for long."

Junko pulled her head away. She was dimly reminded of Ryugi Hyata, her parents' killer, and the comparison made her uncomfortable. "I appreciate your concern, Nichira-san, but it is misplaced."

"Please, call me Itami. 'Nichira-san' makes me feel old." He rested an elbow on the railing, facing her, his eyes fixed on her face.

"It is a sign of respect... sir," she said carefully. She could already tell things were going downhill.

Itami's gaze raked across her body, taking in every feminine curve. "A sign of respect that should be reserved for older people."

Her jaw clenched ever-so-slightly. "Are you implying that you find my husband old, then? You called him 'Arashikage-san.'"

"Of course!"

It took Junko a bit of willpower to keep from slapping him. "I do not take kindly to insults directed at my husband," she said, her voice light and cool.

_Ah, a bit of a temper_, Itami mused. "It is not an insult if it is the truth."

"If that is the case, then you too are old, as you are merely a few years younger than him."

Itami laughed. The sound grated in Junko's ears. "I like to think of it as being closer to your age than he is." He moved towards her. "I mean, he's almost old enough to be your father - an irresponsible father, that is, since he would have had to have been a stupid, hormonal preteen, but a father nonetheless."

She moved back. "He's young enough to be my husband."

Itami laughed again, shaking his head. "No. No, he isn't, sweetheart. The age difference is quite significant."

Despite her best judgement, she narrowed her eyes. "You act as if I'm not even married."

He made a dismissive sound. "Come on. You don't have to hide it from me; I know you just married him for his money and status. Half the women here did exactly what you did."

"Then I guess half the women here must be very devoted to their husbands."

"Ah, but I bet they care _much _more about their lovers."

Junko jerked away as if she had been stung. "'Lovers?' Itami Nichira, if you think I would _ever _stoop as low as to-"

He 'tsked' scoldingly. "Junko, don't think I don't know you used to be a geisha."

"Geisha aren't courtesans - they're artists," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Their bodies aren't for sale."

"I don't think a particular geisha in Kyoto would agree with you." He gave her a taunting smile. "I had her on her back for _hours._"

"Then she is not a geisha," Junko snapped.

"Think about it, Junko," Itami purred, pulling her against him. "I can please you more than _he _can. I can satisfy your needs and show you more pleasure than _he _ever can."

She wriggled, disgusted, and contemplated the consequences of kneeing him in the groin. "Thanks, but no thanks, _Nichira._"

"Are you certain?" He pressed a soft kiss to her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "He won't find out - I'll make sure of that."

The air suddenly felt much chillier as the last rays of the sun faded away. Or maybe it was the cold steel of a blade being pressed to his neck. "Hands off and step away from me," Junko said icily. "This is your only warning."

With an infuriating casualness, Itami obeyed and flicked the blade away from him. "My offer still stands, Junko. I can give you everything you want and more. Think about it."

She found herself alone once again. Staring at the dagger in her hand, she frowned and tucked it away before following the man.

* * *

"Goddamn Arashikage," Itami growled as he stormed his way into the kitchen. His face was red with anger, and beads of sweat were starting to form. "Goddamn stubborn, hot-headed, ignorant woman..."

"Sir?"

"What?" he snapped, whirling around. The servant squirmed uncomfortably under his stare and shakily held out a tray filled with teacups.

"Which room do you want to use?," he asked, looking up fearfully.

Itami closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Of course," he murmured to himself, adjusting his tie as he glanced at the cups. "Tea... yes, tea." Tea was good. Tea was soothing. Tea was tasty.

Tea was also good for disguising poison.

A plan began formulating in his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The Arashikage clan had crumbled to dust at the death of the Hard Master. He didn't see why it couldn't happen again with the Phoenix Master. Once the Arashikage clan had fallen, his own clan would rise to the top. With no Arashikage ninjas left to take contracts, assignments would then be directed to the Nichira clan, resulting in an increased income.

Of course, once the Arashikage was no longer a major ninja clan, Itami could lead an ambush and easily destroy it.

Or... he could offer to save it by merging what was left of it with the Nichira clan through marriage.

He grinned to himself. Sure, Thomas' beauty of a wife stuck to him as if they were attached at the hip, but he saw the way she'd been looking at him. She desired him just as much as he desired her, but was too noble to deface her husband. Once Arashikage was out of the picture, she would surely come to him.

Oh, yes. Junko Nichira sounded _far _better than Junko Arashikage.

"Sir?" the servant squeaked.

"Hm? Of course," Itami sighed. "Use the biggest tea room. Wait," he said as the servant tried to go past him. "I'll take it there myself."

"Pardon?"

"You're dismissed for the evening," Itami grinned, taking the tray from the boy's hands. "I have to be a good host, right?"

"Y-yessir," the boy stammered before executing a quick bow and bolting away.

"Wimp," Itami grumbled as he set the tray down on a nearby table. After giving his surroundings a quick glance, he extracted a small package from the pocket of his suit. His fingers quickly ripped opened the package and poured its contents into Thomas' cup. The clear powder instantly dissolved. Satisfied, Itami set the package down and carried the tray to the light yellow room.

He had just placed the tray down when he heard soft footsteps approaching. The door slid open with a whisper just as he straightened up. His eyebrows rose as he regarded the female form standing there. "Junko."

"Itami." She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. He noticed that she had tied half of her hair up in a casual bun held in place by only one pin. The rest fell over her shoulders, and he ached to touch it.

"What do you want?"

Junko leaned against the wall, looking a little lost. "... I don't know."

Well, that was new. "What do you mean?"

She inhaled softly and let it out in a long sigh. "Look, Itami. I... thought about what you said."

"... And?"

Her shoulders rose and fell. "Why not? Thomas is out almost all the time on contracts and at meetings." She lifted her head to look at him. "So I'm often lonely. I guess enjoying your... company could help pass the time."

Itami couldn't hold back a grin. "I knew you would make the right decision," he crooned, holding out his hand. Junko looked at it warily before taking it. "Just relax." He pulled her close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist as he kissed her cheek. "I'll make it pleasant for you." His hands wandered, exploring the curve of her waist and hip.

Junko closed her eyes, half to look like she was being seduced, and half because she just didn't want to look at him. She had made her decision and she was going through with it. Tommy may or may not approve of her choice, but she didn't care. It needed to be done.

Behind his back, her fingers sought out two cups - one of them Thomas' and the other Itami's, to be specific. As subtlety and quickly as she could, she switched them.

"Itami?" she breathed, placing her hands on his arms and pushing herself back so she could look at him.

"Yes?" He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger.

In an rough manner he hadn't been expecting, Junko grabbed his chin and forcefully pulled his lips down onto her own. Stunned, he didn't move for a second, then eagerly returned her kiss. He backed her up against the wall, crushing her body against his, drunk on her taste.

Unbeknownst to the two, a pair of eyes watched from the shadows. Their owner stayed frozen, shocked and horrified, before silently slipping away.

Arashikage-san needs to know about this.


	3. Chapter 3

Storm Shadow stared at the trembling man before him as he described to him a disturbing scene. His hands clenched into tight fists, and his heart-rate jumped. "Are you sure," he asked, his voice low and dangerous, "that you saw them _kiss?_"

"They did; I swear it!" he sputtered. "I-I saw them! She went to him and let him embrace her. Then they... then they-"

Tommy raised a hand, effectively silencing the man. "Thank you, Teiji, for notifying me. I... will discuss this with my wife later."

The man bowed then made a hasty retreat, leaving the Phoenix Master to his thoughts. Itami Nichira had never liked him, which was fine with him - the feeling was mutual. He had always suspected that Itami was jealous of what he had, but he didn't expect the Nichira master to be so bold as to try and make a move on his _wife_. It was correct that he did not need to look after Junko constantly, but it nagged him that he couldn't be next to her whenever she found herself in a sticky situation.

But then there was the issue of her kissing him _back_. Something must really be up if she'd chosen to-

A hushed silence fell over the crowd, and all eyes were on the figure standing at the edge of the room. "Esteemed guests," Itami announced, looking unusually pleased, "I believe it is time for our evening tea." He bowed and disappeared through a door.

Conversations resumed in quiet murmurs as everyone entered the light yellow room. Storm noticed that Junko was already in her seat, her hands folded neatly on her lap. She sought him out from the crowd and patted the cushion next to her.

He slid smoothly over and took his place beside her. "So you found out," she whispered as she leaned towards him, her lips barely moving.

"You can tell?" he whispered back.

She took his fist in both of her hands and, gently, tenderly, unfurled it. "Yeah, I can tell." She smiled as her fingers intertwined with his.

"You had better have one hell of a reason for letting him touch you," he muttered darkly, although he rubbed the back of her hand affectionately with his thumb.

"I caught him pouring a clear powder into your teacup. I suspect poison."

Storm peered at his teacup suspiciously.

Junko patted his arm. "Don't worry. While he was distracted, I switched his cup with yours."

"You let him kiss you," he added gloomily.

"Hey, what can I say?" She pressed her cheek against his shoulder and looked up at him. "All part of the distraction."

"Was that specific part necessary?"

"Uh, yeah. I deemed it necessary." She flicked at his hair. "Can I at least get a 'thank you?'"

"You'll get a 'thank you' when we get back home." Tommy briefly pressed his lips against her fingers. Junko blushed.

Itami watched the couple carefully as he sipped at his tea. Actual tea ceremonies were rare among ninja clans and generally reserved for very special occasions. The gathering was a special occasion, yes, but there were simply too many people, and a properly conducted tea ceremony would take too much time. Splitting everyone into smaller groups might spark accusations of favoritism, so Itami settled for a simple, relaxed tea session. He could hear a few masters complaining quietly, but chose to ignore them.

After what felt like eternity, Thomas finally reached for his cup. Itami forced himself to stare at the table, attempting to appear deep in thought, instead of at him. In his peripheral vision, he saw him drink the tea.

Any time now. Any time. He felt almost giddy with glee. _I'll see you in Hell, Arashikage. Greet your uncles for me when you get there. Don't worry - I'll take _great _care of your wife. _

Storm's head suddenly snapped up and he placed his cup down. "Someone's coming."

Immediately, the room fell dead silent. _Ninjas, _Junko thought, smiling. _So alert_.

Eyebrows raised, Tommy turned to Itami. "It's your brother, followed by... twenty-five people."

"Is it an ambush?" someone's wife asked.

"No," another ninja, not Storm, answered. Junko guessed he also possessed the Ear that Sees. "He's saying something. He sounds... terrified."

Thomas didn't take his eyes off of Itami. "He's screaming, 'Murder! Murder!'"

The room erupted into panicked whispers. Who was murdered? Who died? Who is dying? Most importantly, what is going _on? _

There was a very unpleasant cracking noise as the door to the room was actually _ripped _apart. "Murderer! Liar! Traitor!" a young man who looked very much like Itami but sounded quite different lunged at the man with a cry. "You have _shamed _us! You have SHAMED US!"

Itami looked at Minoru dispassionately as the rest of the men filed into the room and began pushing small cups containing some strange liquid into everybody's hands. "What the hell is this? What's happening?" one master demanded, pointing to the cup.

"It's an antidote. We suspect poisoning, sir," the man answered calmly as he gave a woman a cup. At his words, the woman visibly paled and promptly downed the liquid.

"Poisoning?" The master appeared unmoved. "By who?"

"Take a reasonable guess, sir." The man glanced at Minoru, who was sitting on his brother and punching him repeatedly, screaming insults. The master stared at the cup, disbelief written all over his face, before finally drinking its contents.

By then, pretty much everybody had been informed, and nobody was doing anything to help Itami; they were all staring coldly at him. Minoru continued beating his brother. "I don't believe this! I don't BELIEVE THIS! You! _My own brother!_ You have _disgraced _our family name! You have brought shame to this clan! Our clan used to be great!" His next punch wrenched Itami's head to the side. Blood splattered on floor. "Our clan used to be respected!" Another punch. More blood flew. "Our clan used to be the kind everybody would look up to!" An uppercut drove Itami's skull into the ground. "_I _used to look up to you! You were my role model! I respected you! I gave you everything - I even let you watch over the clan alone to satisfy your power-hungry needs!" He growled, his gaze cold. "Guess I was wrong. Guess I was _stupid_." He raised another fist, about to strike again, when strong fingers stopped him.

"Minoru. Stop. You don't want him unconscious. He needs to be awake to feel pain."

Minoru whipped around, fury and anger in his expression at both his brother and the woman who held him back. Junko met his gaze evenly, although rage also flickered in her eyes. "How did you find out?" she asked.

Sight unexpectedly blurred by tears, Minoru swallowed hard. "A servant told me that my brother decided to serve the tea today, something he has never done in the past. I found a ripped empty package of Nichira poison on the table near the location where he took the tray from the servant. I-I feared the worst and told the healer to prepare the antidote while a dog team tracked the poison to this room." He hung his head as tears spilled over his cheeks. "Forgive me, Arashikage-san," he choked.

"You are not responsible for your brother's actions." She lightly touched his shoulder. "Your fears are correct - Itami was trying to poison my husband. I saw him pour the poison into his tea."

Minoru's light gasp and Itami's labored breathing were all that was heard in the room. All eyes suddenly flew to Tommy, who appeared much calmer than he felt.

"You switched his cup with my brother's," he said slowly, realization dawning on his face.

"A simple, reasonable move," Junko answered. "My husband would live, and your brother's immunity to the poison would help him suffer nothing worse than a headache. That is," her voice dropped, "if he _is _immune to the poison..."

"He is." He sighed. "I'm just glad nobody has actually been poisoned." Minoru looked at Itami, who had already passed out, before quickly noticing everybody in the room. Gulping, he stood up, wringing his bloodstained hands nervously. "I apologize deeply for today's events. Itami will be exiled as soon as he is healed, and a suitable replacement will be found. I welcome you all to stay longer, but I assume you would want to leave after... recent happenings. I will take no offense at either option." He bowed deeply and helped lift Itami out of the room. A cleaning crew soon appeared to clean up the blood.

Eventually, people began trickling out, no longer wanting to stay at the scene of a would-be murder, until the only two people left were Junko and Tommy.

* * *

"I really must apologize again for my brother." Minoru stared at his feet, unable to look directly at Storm Shadow. "He tried to kill you."

"He's not the first to try, and he certainly won't be the last. Apology accepted, but only if you promise to stop taking the blame for your brother's actions."

A hint of a smile. "Oh, I promise. I'll make sure the next master isn't so proud or greedy."

"Maybe," Junko appeared at her husband's side, "_you _should be the next Master Nichira."

Minoru's cheeks flushed red. "M-me? No, no... I'm too young, and I don't have enough experience."

"You're in your late twenties. My father became master of his clan at an earlier age, so you can't say you're too young. As for experience..." Tommy gave him his signature smirk. "You can appoint advisors, and do what is right, not what's easiest. You'll become a wise master in no time." Junko passed him a scroll, which he handed to Minoru. "You can start by meeting with me in a week's time to discuss the terms of our alliance."

The look of pure disbelief on Minoru's face made Junko laugh. "No way, really? You actually want to be allies with us even after..."

"Yes, because I can tell that you will lead this clan well and change it for the better."

Minoru stared at the scroll. "Oh... gosh, thank you, Arashikage-san! I promise I'll do my best." He beamed happily.

Thomas nodded. "I wish you the best of luck. We will see you in a week." He got into the car and closed the door. "Satoya, take us home."

The driver nodded and started the engine. Rain began pelting the windows as the car pulled out of the driveway. Junko waved back at the rapidly shrinking Minoru from the backseat of the car. "Bye!" she called out quietly.

"He can't hear you."

"I know, but it's still fun to say it." Junko sank back down in her seat as they turned around a corner.

They were silent most of the drive home. The quiet sound of rain and the comforting warmth of Tommy's shoulder were slowly lulling her to sleep, until an unexpected jolt made her jump awake and almost hit her head on the car roof. "My apologies, Arashikage-san," Satoya said as he slowed down. "I'll take a different road."

"How long until we get home?" Thomas asked.

Satoya glanced at the clock. 9:24 PM. "In about two hours."

"Alright." Storm turned to his wife and patted his lap. "Lie down."

Gratefully, Junko obliged. "Oh, god. Thank you," she breathed when he removed the pin from her hair and massaged her scalp.

Her husband merely smiled lovingly at her. "How long will he live?" he asked.

Eyelids drooping and drowsy, she managed to answer, "He won't live to see the sunrise," before closing her eyes, soothed by Tommy's fingers.

Bending over, he delicately kissed her. "Thank you, my love."

She didn't answer. She had fallen asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Itami was found dead. The cause of his death was discovered to be poison, although nobody was sure what kind of poison. Some said that he wasn't as immune to his own poison as he thought he was, while others said that one of his own clan members, dishonored and ashamed of his former master's actions, had poisoned him in his sleep. Neither of these explanations were correct.

At the same time at an unmarked location in the mountains, far away from the Nichira compound, a young woman woke up to the sight of her husband still asleep, his hair messed up again. Trailing her fingers down his cheek, she looked past him at the rising sun low in the sky.

"You forfeited your life the moment you decided to try and take my husband's," she whispered, grinning victoriously. "Don't forget to say hello to Ryugi Hyata for me."

* * *

**How did Itami die? Please leave your answer in a review! **

For those of you who do find it out, just know that no impersonation or copying of any other fictional character was intended, 'cause... I don't know about any fictional character using that poison. I just happened to stumble across the idea upon researching the chemical components of early geisha makeup. ^-^


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